SAT scores up in New Hanover, Pender, but down in Brunswick

Thursday

Sep 26, 2013 at 8:30 AMSep 26, 2013 at 4:58 PM

The state Department of Public Instruction released the 2013 SAT scores on Thursday.

By Pressley BairdPressley.Baird@StarNewsOnline.com

Two Southeastern North Carolina counties saw big increases in their 2013 SAT scores, while one county's average score fell slightly.New Hanover County Schools saw a significant increase, with its average score in 2013 reaching 1536, up from 1501 in 2012. Pender County Schools also had a big jump in its average score, to 1452 from 1430 in 2012. Brunswick County Schools' average score fell by five points, to 1434 from 1439 in 2012. The state Department of Public Instruction released the 2013 SAT scores on Thursday. The data measures scores of North Carolina high school seniors who took the SAT in 2013. Statewide, the state average score increased by 10 points over 2012 scores. Nationally, the average stayed the same. Many colleges use the SAT for admissions. It has traditionally included a reading and math section and has included a writing section since 2006. Each section is worth 800 points, with 2400 representing a perfect score. To be admitted to a UNC-system school, applicants must score at least a combined 800 on the reading and math portions of the test, according to the system's website. About 62 percent of N.C. high school seniors took the test in 2013, down from 68 percent in 2012. Statewide, students averaged 506 on the math section, 495 on the reading section and 478 on the writing section, averaging 1479 overall. The national average score in 2012 and 2013 was 1498.Locally, roughly half of counties' high school seniors took the test. New Hanover County had the highest number of test-takers at 59.9 percent of seniors, with Pender County coming in at 50.6 percent and Brunswick County showing 45.3 percent.New Hanover County Schools' highest jump came in its writing score, which improved 17 points to 494 in 2013. Pender County Schools saw the biggest increase in its critical reading score, rising to 489 in 2013 up from 479 in 2012.Brunswick County Schools increased both reading and writing scores, losing 11 points in its math score, which fell to 486 in 2013.Pender schools' Superintendent Terri Cobb said she was "extremely pleased" with Pender County's improvement, noting that it's the third year in a row the district has upped its scores. "This is evidence that our teachers and administrators are committed to preparing our students for success beyond high school," Cobb said.Brunswick schools' Superintendent Ed Pruden said he was concerned about his district's drop in this year's scores, saying they reflected a downward trend over the past five years."I met with high school principals last week, and we looked at the data," he said. "I asked them, ‘What did we stop doing?'"Much of the shift down came when the district began focusing heavily on end-of-course tests, a metric "by which schools are pretty much judged," Pruden said. He also attributed Brunswick County's drop to less student interest in SAT preparation classes, which the district offers at its high schools. Pruden said he wanted to improve the district's SAT scores and also focus on the ACT, another college admissions test."I think we need to keep both tests in our sights and prepare our students," he said.